TV DOLLARS…IN 2015? Are the NewFronts an attempt by Web video companies to get at TV ad budgets? If so, you’d think the Web video players would present more – actual shows maybe. But as the first day of the NewFronts kicked off in New York, those big buzzy TV dollars stealing hits were hard to envision.

Yahoo came the closest during its splashy presentation at Lincoln Center. The embattled portal has greenlighted two half-hour comedy shows from big name directors, including Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids,” “Freaks and Geeks”), who is producing a sci-fi comedy called “Other Space,” reports WSJ’s Digits. The other series is “Sin City Saints,” a sitcom about a lousy Las Vegas-based basketball team. Amazingly, neither show will premiere until next year, and thus Yahoo had no clips for advertisers available. Thus, Yahoo spent much of its presentation talking about Tumblr, native ads and brand lift from search and display ads – talk that had to have any invited TV buyers squirming in their seats. If anything turned advertisers heads, it was the announcement of a deal with the concert promoter Live Nation that will result in Yahoo streaming a different live concert every day of the year.

Microsoft also is planning to a stream a concert this year - the Bonnaroo Festival in Tennesee this summer. That announcement suddenly felt dwarfed by Yahoo’s concert push later in the day. It didn’t help that Microsoft hardly had any other shows to present, reports Deadline. Monday was supposed to be a coming out of sorts for the Xbox Entertainment Studios under the leadership of former CBS programming executive Nancy Tellem. But despite a sharp production, there wasn’t much else to show advertisers, except for a soccer-themed documentary timed to this year’s World Cup. Everything else, including a sci-fi-oriented original called “Humans” (which unfortunately will remind many brands of Fox’s very similar “Almost Human”) won’t debut until next year, if at all (much of the presentation focused on the theoretical it seemed – such as live action shows of a multitude of Xbox games). Brands had to be thinking, where are the shows I can buy?”

BuzzFeed didn’t even try to show off any series for advertisers. Instead, it spent much of its first NewFronts offering brands a tutorial on how social publishing has changed media (“it’s the way media now works,” said CEO Jonah Peretti). and how its nascent video business is growing fast. The event essentially became a viral tutorial, reports WSJ’s CMO Today.

The approach seemed smart: everyone else is selling you “consumable video” but “we’re selling shareable video,” Mr. Peretti said. Still, that’s not going to be an easy sell to advertisers looking to sponsor shows—since BuzzFeed is essentially offering to tutor brands on how to make their own shows–in the form of viral videos.

DISNEY AND BUZZFEED ALMOST SHARE EVERYTHING: Speaking of BuzzFeed, the company was recently in discussions with Walt Disney Co. about being acquired reports Fortune, but the price got too high – $1 billion. That’s roughly what Disney agreed to pay Maker Studios if all the various performance goals are met. As Fortune notes, Maker, given its Web video focus, is probably a better fit with Disney. But it’s interesting that BuzzFeed talked. It makes you wonder who else the company talked to, and who might dial up Mr. Peretti now that its out there that BuzzFeed might listen.Yahoo?

BRANDS RUN FROM CLIPPERS: The race is on for brands to get as far away from Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling as possible, as the firestorm over Mr. Sterling’s alledged racist comments rages on. Already, over half of the team’s sponsors, including Kia Motors, Virgin America, Red Bull and Aquahydrate have pulled out, reports WSJ. Plus, some brands have asked TNT to move their ads out of Clipper games (the team is currently in the NBA playoffs taking on the Golden State Warriors, whose coach has actually called for a fan boycott of the next game). It’s doubtful these advertisers come back anytime soon. But it’s questionable as to whether this brand pullout will have much immediate impact, as Mr. Sterling, according to Forbes, is a billionaire.

ELSEWHERE: Twitter’s COO is on a mission to make the site more appealing to mainstream users, reports WSJ. Craig Ferguson will exit his CBS late night show in December, reports Variety. NBC says that Twitter doesn’t impact TV viewership, reports ReCode. The New York Times is cranking out 430 videos a month though the company is struggling to meet some video ad commitments, reports Capital New York. The Sarah Jessica Parker-produced reality series City Ballet will soon return for its second season, reports WSJ’s CMO Today.

About CMO Today

CMO Today is an offering from The Wall Street Journal, helping marketing executives discern who and what matters in marketing today. Contact our editors with news items, comments and questions at CMOToday@WSJ.com.